The present invention relates to hand held tensioning and cutting tools, and particularly to an improved hand tool for tensioning and cutting cable ties.
Cable ties are widely used in a variety of environments and applications. They may be used, for example, to bundle a plurality of elongate wires, cables, or other elongate articles. Cable ties may also be used to secure elongate articles to rigid structures or used as hose clamps, by way of example. Such cable ties typically include an elongate tail portion which is threaded through an integral head portion to encircle the articles to be bound and the tie tail is drawn through the cable tie head to tightly bind the elongate articles into a bundle. After the tie is tensioned around the bundle, the excess length of the tie tail which extends out of the head portion is then severed by the tool close to the head. Ties are often applied in high volumes and to precise tensions.
One disadvantage of many presently available tie tensioning and severing tools is that those tools require an operator to apply an excessive force on their triggers which leads tool operator fatigue after only a relatively small number of cables ties have been installed by the operator. Additionally, many prior art tie tensioning and severing tools have their tool triggers mechanically linked to the tensioning and severing mechanisms in a manner that the actual tension attained in the cable tie immediately prior to severing of the cable tie tail varies with the position of the operator's grip on the trigger during operation of the tool. Tools which rely upon mechanical linkages often increase the tension in the cable tie above the preselected value immediately prior to severing due to the movement of the linkages during the tensioning operation. This can cause stretching, weakening or breakage of the tie during severing.
The present invention has application to the cable tie tensioning and cut-off tools disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 13/534,791; 13/534,826; 13/534,877; 13/534,902; 14/532,619 and 14/532,637 owned by the same assignee and each incorporated herein by reference.